Endings
by 59katie
Summary: Walker and Alex are sued for custody of Angela by Sammie Jones [one of the two men who hurt Alex in ensnared] Gordan helps them with that while Trivette does something that may hurt the Walkers' case.


Endings by Katie 59

Chapter One

It had been six months since Alex's father Gordan Cahill had been stabbed at the ranch by Beau Cranson Didley a man who had been previuosly arrested for stalking Merilee Summers. [ At the time of his arrest he had claimed to be Merilee's boyfriend and had produced evidence that backed that up. It had been Merilee's idea to have Didley go out to the ranch with the intention of kidnapping Alex and then killing her. Merilee had denied any involvement in the attack and Didley claimed that he had acted on his own. No one believed him but since there was no proof against her Miss Summers had been allowed to leave town.] In the meantime Sammie Jones who had assaulted Alex along with his now dead cousin Artie Timson was visiting lawyers to see if he could file for custody of Angela Elizabeth Walker. [ She was the result of Alex's abduction.] A lawyer by the name of Alfred Cosno whom Alex had bested in the courtroom several times agreed to take the case pro bono because he wanted nothing more than to pay Alex back.  
Walker and Trivette were staking out a garage waiting to see if a suspected car jacker by the name of McKieran would show up with the bait car when Walker told Trivette as a car was pulled into the parking lot " There he is now." Trivette asked in jest " Do we just walk up to him and tell him to surrender?" Walker replied as he moved from where they had been hidden " We don't ask, we tell." Trivette followed as he pointed out " Partner I know that we're Texas Rangers but there are at least six guys in that garage. What if they decide that they're going to stop us from arresting McKieran?"  
" Then we arrest them too." Walker responded as though the answer had been very obvious. Three of the men did try to stop Walker and Trivette from making the arrest but they soon found themselves in handcuffs. After the four men had been hauled away by the police one of the men who hadn't interferred followed Walker outside and said to him " Walker I can't stand you but your wife did cut me a break when I was arrested for being drunk and disorderly. So the way I figure it is that I owe her. And that's the only reason that I'm telling you this, Sammie Jones who works here also has been running his mouth about getting Cahill's daughter from her. I didn't believe him at first but then he said that he had gotten a lawyer to take him on for free and that Cahill's daughter was as good as his. From the way he's acting the custody suit is going to be filed soon."  
Walker answered " I'll tell my wife and you tell Jones that if he comes near my daughter he's a dead man." The man replied " Whatever Walker my debt to your wife has been taken care of."  
After they had gotten into Walker's truck Trivette asked his partner " Do you think that it's true that Jones is going to try and get custody of my neice?" Walker didn't reply so Trivette added " I mean I know that he would have to end up being the biological father but that's only a one in three chance, right?" Walker muttered " Trivette not that it's any of your business but there is no chance that I fathered Angela. Now drop the damn subject or start walking."  
" No need to kill me Walker. But can you please tell Alex that if she needs to talk with anyone that I'm here for her? As a matter of fact how about you agreeing to watch your children on Saturday so that Alex can go to the mall with me? I have this new girlfriend and I have to find her the perfect present so that she'll.." Trivette was saying when Walker broke in " Yes Trivette I'll watch my children so that my wife can go to the mall with you. Is sex all you think about?" Trivette answered " Yes when I'm not getting any on a regular basis. But enough about my love life. How about we go to C.D.'s after we fill out the paperwork? Maybe Alex will be there and I can ask her to go to the mall with me on Saturday."  
As Trivette had suggested Alex was at C.D.'s and her father was there with her. Walker and Trivette went over to where there were seated and joined them. Trivette said to her " Alex if you're free on Saturday can you go to the mall with me? My partner here has already agreed to watch his children so that you can go. So what do you say?" Alex teasingly questioned him " What's her name Jimmie? And what magazines covers has she been on?"  
" Her name is Renee Lynne and she hasn't been on any magazine covers as far as I know. Why would you even think that she had been Alex?" Trivette responded causing Alex to tell him " Oh come on Jimmie everyone here knows that you only go after the women that look like they could be models. When will you realize that inner beauty is just as important as outer beauty is if not more so?"  
" That's not true Alex, I dated that clerk from the records department. Molly was it? She wasn't all that pretty either." Trivette answered Alex who informed him " And you've just proven my point for me Trivette. The clerk's name was actually Holly and you dated her as part of an assignment to see who was feeding that tabloid show arrest records. You didn't date her because you wanted to. Now take Walker here for instance he cares more about the way a woman conducts herself than the way she looks. Yes we did get married because we had to but the reason that we're still married is because our ethics and values are compatible. It takes a lot of hard work to make a successful relationship work. If you truly want to be in a successful relationship you need to stop looking at only the women who please your eye. Start looking for the one who shares your values and you'll be happy."  
" Alex I swear that when I'm ready to settle down I'll come to you for dating advice but I'm too young to get married. The last thing that I need right now is a family. Geez if I had wanted a lecture I would have asked for one." Trivette told Alex but Walker said to him " Alex does know what she's talking about Trivette. You should listen to her." Trivette replied " And speaking of knowing what she's talking about shouldn't you be telling Alex what one of the men told us at the garage? She needs to know about it from you and her father is right here in case the two of you end up needing his help."  
Alex looked at Walker who said " Alex one of the men at that garage told me that Sammie Jones worked there and was running his mouth that he had a lawyer who would help him with a custody suit for Angela. Now before you get upset I promise you that there is no way in hell that I will ever allow anyone to go after Angela." Gordan broke in " Did he say what the lawyer's name was? The reason that I'm asking is because the lawyer on the other side in my last case by the name of Alfred Cosno made a point of telling me earlier today that he was handling a pro bono custody case. He then told me to tell my daughter the next time I saw her that he was going to win the case no matter who got hurt."  
Alex threw down her napkin in disgust as she said " Just great a man rapes me gets out of prison early then finds someone to try and take my baby away from me. Now what am I going to do? I won't lose Angela like I lost Emily, I won't." Walker placed his arm around his wife's shoulder as he vowed " We will not lose Angela. Okay lady?" Alex sniffed back a few tears as Gordan told them " I'll be your lawyer if the custody case is filed. It can take years to resolve custody cases and a good lawyer can drag out the paternity test part of it for at least six months, if not longer. And besides there's only a one in three chance that this Jones is the father anyhow. So there's nothing to really worry about. My grandaughter will never be taken from the two of you. Walker is it all right with the two of you if I come out to the ranch this evening to discuss what we're going to do if a custody suit is filed? I think that it's best to be prepared ahead of time."  
" How about we make it at seven? I'll even cook you dinner." Walker answered his father in law. Alex then quickly said " No. I'll cook the dinner. My father doesn't like pasta all that much and that's the only thing you can cook half decent husband of mine. Dad how about steak and potaoes with a nice side salad? And yes Walker I'll cook your steak just the way you like it with those seasonings rubbed into it." Walker leaned closer and kissed Alex on her cheek. " I'll see the two of you at 7 then." Gordan answered then left C.D.'s.  
When Walker arrived home at the ranch he discovered that his wife was very worried about the dinner with her father so he tried to reasure her that everything would be all right. Alex even though she didn't think it would be kissed her husband in an attempt to change the subject. Walker kissed her back then suggested that they do more of that after her father left.

Chapter Two

As they were eating their dinner Gordan was carefully watching the interaction between Walker and Alex and the children to see what sort of home life the children had. Gordan came to the conclusion that there was no doubt that Alex and Walker both loved each of the children dearly. That when it came to the two adults he felt that Alex really did love Walker. As for what Walker felt for his daughter Gordan wasn't really sure because Walker in one minute seemed to love Alex dearly and in the next minute acted like she was just a friend of his.  
After they had eaten dinner the Walkers were in the living room watching their children play along with Gordan Cahill. After observing the children play for a few minutes Gordan said to them " They really do look like they are full brother and sister and hopefully the paternity test will show just that." Alex looked at Walker before responding to her father " Dad is there any way that you can fight a custody case without allowing a paternity test to be done?"  
" Alex I know that there's only a one in three chance that your husband is indeed Angela's biological father but still 33% is better than nothing. If I object outright to a paternity test being done it will look like I think that Walker isn't the baby's father at all and that might damage your case. I'll go along with the paternity test being done and if the results aren't what we want them to be I'll move on to plan 'B'." Gordan answered his daughter who then told him " You'd better have a damn good plan 'B' because there is no chance that Cordell Walker fathered my daughter Angela. We didn't have that sort of marital relationship when I got kidnapped by those animals."  
" What exactly are you saying Alex? Are you saying that you and your husband are really married in name only? That you got married because you had to and that you've never...well...that is to say. You know what I mean. If that's the case you do realize that a judge might hold that against the two of you and grant custody of your daughter to someone else? Don't you?" Gordan questioned Alex who got up and left the room in tears. Walker cleared his throat several times before doing his best to explain the way things had been between the two of them " When Alex told me that she was pregnant I demanded that she have a blood test done to prove that I was the father. After it showed that I was the father we went to Las Vegas where we were married by a Justice of the Peace. When we returned home I decided that we weren't going to act like a married couple. After Keith's birth and Emily's death that didn't change. After you told me that Alex was pregnant as a result of when she had been kidnapped and then hurt I vowed that I would treat her unborn baby the same exact way that I was treating our son Keith. Gordan understand this when Angela was born and I saw her for the first time all I saw was my wife's daughter and my daughter. I love Angela as much as I love Keith. They are both my children."  
" I know all that Walker but you have to understand that most judges would think that allowing a child to remain in a home with it's biological mother who's in a marriage that's in name only would be harmful for the child's development. That the child would be better served by being in a home with it's biological father who could in time provide the child with a normal, loving home life. That is to say with two parents who actually love each other, unlike you and my daughter." Gordan tried to explain things to Walker but he wasn't interested in hearing them. Walker informed him " If you can't be bothered to help us just go ahead and leave. We'll find someone else who will help us with the custody case."  
Alex who had quietly come back into the living room said " Cordell that wasn't what my father was trying to tell you. What he was trying to tell you was that the judge would want to know how much of a loving and secure home we provide for our children. Why don't you go outside and cool off for a few minutes while I explain a few things to my father." Walker shook his head no then stated " Alex and I were married at the reservation after the children were given their tribal names. I presented Alex with Angel and she accepted the mare which meant that she accepted me as her mate. After that we...well that is to say...uhm we."  
Alex sat down besides her husband took his hand then told her father. " That was when we truly became husband and wife. Our children are in a happy and secure home with parents who love them dearly and who share a bedroom. We will stay married for the rest of our lifes and not just for the children's sake. After the children are grown and on their own my husband and I will still be together because that's the way that we both want it to be."  
" Okay so that means that if I can't get the paternity test request thrown out I'll dismiss it's importance and focus on the fact that Angela is living with her mother and in the eyes of the law the man who is her father. Under state law Walker legally accepted Angela as his child the moment the birth certificate was filed and she was given the last name of Walker. Under those circumstances a lot of judges will leave the child in the home if the parents love each other, even if the father isn't the biological father. I can get him or her to do exactly that by having the two of you swear under oath that you are very much in love with each other." Gordan was saying when Alex looked at her husband. Gordan then asked his daughter " What now?"  
" I love Cordell John Walker with all of my being and I will testify to that but it might be best if you don't have Walker swear that under oath." Alex replied as Walker got up from the couch and went and looked out the window. Gordan questioned her " Alex are you trying to tell me that your husband doesn't love you? That he never did and that he never will? Do you understand that if he doesn't swear under oath that he loves you I stand a good chance of losing the custody case?" Alex didn't answer because she thought her father was trying to tell her that she was going to lose her baby unless Walker lied under oath and swore that he loved her when he didn't because he had vowed to never forget Ellen, a woman who was murdered because she had been seeing Walker.  
" Dad it's not like Walker doesn't want to love me but he can't because he vowed never to forget Ellen. He had just asked her to marry him when they were gunned down. She died and Walker vowed to always love her at her graveside. I can't ask Walker to break that scared vow. And I know that deep down inside my husband does care for me." Alex explained causing Gordan to ask her " So you're saying is that I'm going to lose a custody case that involves my grandchild because my son in law is in love with a ghost and not his wife? You know the wife who just so happens to be my only child?"

Walker turned away from the window to say " I will always hold Ellen in my heart but the rest of my heart belongs to my wife and our two children. If you want me to swear under oath that I love my wife I will do it because that will be the truth." Alex jumped up from the couch and went to her husband to ask him " Cordell are you sure about this?"

Walker replied as he pulled her close " Yes Alex I am very sure about my feelings for you." Gordan looked on for a minute then cleared his throat to get their attention. After they were both looking at him he said " When you're served the papers let me know and I'll look them over then we'll go from there." Alex said that they would so Gordan showed himself out.  
That night in their bedroom Walker said to his wife " Alex you know that I vowed to never forget Ellen and I won't. But I think that you should also know that in spite of my always trying to deny my feelings for you I just can't do that to us any more. I love you lady." Alex replied " Oh Cordell I love you so much and I do understand that you can never forget Ellen. When the children are older if you want us to we can tell them about her just like we'll tell them about Uncle Ray, my mother and your parents." Walker pulled her into a hug as he told her " We will tell the children all about them when they are older."  
Walker went into the bathroom and took a shower. Alex changed into a nightgown then got into bed. Walker returned to the bedroom and got into bed with his wife who moved over into his arms. After a few minutes Walker asked her " Are you tired?" Alex sat up removed her nightgown as she answered " No but you can help me with that. Interested?" Walker pulled Alex close and proceeded to tire the both of them out.

Chapter Three

Saturday afternoon Trivette and Alex were at the mall shopping. Alex said to Trivette " Can you wait outside this shop for a minute? I want to buy something in there." Trivette answered " Why can't I go in there with you? I'll probably find something for my latest girlfriend in there. From what they have on display in the window it seems like a nice shop to find something that I could use to entice Charise into going along with what I want. And I need her to do it soon."  
Alex replied " Fine come in with me then. But once inside of the shop you go your way and I go my way." Puzzled Trivette asked " Don't you want me to see what you're buying in there?"  
" No I do not because the items that I want to get in there are just for my husband to see. Understand what I'm telling you?" Alex responded to Trivette who finally got the idea and said to her while holding up his hands in surrender " Don't say anything else. I get the idea although I could probably use this to get Walker back for all of the times that he's gotten me. Just think one morning when he comes to work I could ask him if you showed him what you bought in this shop. I bet that would turn him beet red for at least a week." Seeing that Alex was becoming upset by what he was saying to her Trivette pulled her into a hug as he told her " Hey Alex I was just joking. You know that I would never do something like that to you. Don't you? Don't get me wrong I would do that to my partner in a heartbeat but that would probably get him mad at you and I will never do anything that hurts you. So that means I have to find another way to pay Walker back and believe me when he least expects it I am going to get him at last. So what do you say little sister, how about we both get what we want from this shop then meet back at the food court?" Alex agreed to that and they parted ways as soon as they entered the shop. After they had both gotten what they wanted the pair met at the food court and had a nice lunch during which Trivette told Alex an amusing story that had her laughing so much that tears formed in her eyes and ran down her cheeks. Trivette leaned over and wiped away the tears then started to lean closer but Alex sternly said to him " James Trivette don't even think about crossing the line and trying to turn our relationship which is that of dear friends into something else. Let me make my feelings very clear to you, I love my husband with every fiber of my being. I will love Cordell like that for the rest of my life. Should he die I would never ever be interested in another man. Walker is the love of my life. As for my feelings for you they are those that I would have for a brother if I had one and that will never change. If you can't live with that you will no longer be a part of my life. I consider you to be my children's uncle and a good friend of mine, nothing more, nothing less."  
Trivette nodded his acceptance of Alex's terms for staying friends with her then changed the subject to his latest girlfriend and how he hoped that their relationship would last longer than a month or two. Alex informed him that if he wanted the relationship to last that he had to work at it but Trivette said to her " Maybe when I'm older I'll consider putting work into a relationship to make it last but right now I have a lot of wild oats to sow as it were." Alex just shook her head at the way Trivette treated the women that he dated.  
Back at the ranch Walker answered the door to find a process server standing there. The man handed Walker some papers told him that he had been served then quickly left the front porch. Walker placed the papers into the safe in his den and secured it than called up his father in law to tell him that he had been served with legal papers. Gordan told him that he would come out to the ranch that evening and look over the papers then they would plan their course of action.  
When Alex came back to the ranch Trivette followed her into the house and sat down on the couch as he asked his partner " So Walker did you have fun watching your children?" Walker gruffly answered " What's it to you?" Trivette replied " Nothing man I was just trying to tease you. Lighten up, will you?" Alex seeing the way Walker had reacted to Trivette's teasing him questioned her husband " What happened while I was gone? They weren't that bad? Were they?"  
" My children were angels. As to what happened while you were gone I got the papers while you were at the mall. Gordan said that he would come by later and we would plan our course of action then." Walker answered his wife but Trivette asked him " You got papers for what?"  
" That animal is sueing us for custody of Angela." Alex bitterly replied. Trivette told her " I'm really sorry Alex. If you need me to testify what great parents you and Walker are I will. Same thing with C.D. because there's no way any of us are going to stand by and let someone try to take Angela away from the two of you." Alex didn't answer that so Trivette said that he had to be going and left the ranch house knowing that Walker and Alex needed to be alone with their children.  
Gordan came out to the ranch later on that evening and looked over the papers for the custody suit. After he had read them he asked his daughter " Alex did you read those papers?" Alex replied " No I didn't. Why?"  
" Here read them while I explain to your husband what Cosno is trying to do." Gordan said as he handed Alex the papers. Alex took the papers and read them while Gordan informed Walker " In the custody suit that they are bringing against Alex and you they are as you know asking for permanent custody of Angela because you aren't her biological father. According to the papers Sammie Jones' mother Samantha Janet Timson is claiming that she should be given sole custody of the child because if her son fathered Angela she is the child's grandmother. And to cover their bases Samantha Janet Timson is claiming that she raised Artie Timson from the time he was twelve and came to live with her. That if her nephew ends up being the biological father of the minor child in question she, Samantha Janet Timson would still be the child's grandmother and entitled to sole custody. And Walker this is going to get very nasty because they are claiming that you only married Alex because you had to and that you have been treating Angela badly because she's not your's. They also go on to claim that you and Alex are just living together and not really narried. That because of that Angela isn't being raised in a normal and loving home. Walker do you know a Merilee Summers?"  
" Yes I do. Why?" Walker replied so Gordan said to him " Because they are claiming that every time she's in town the two of you resume your affair that started shortly before the death of her ex-husband. And Alex they are claiming that you're having an affair with someone close to your husband but they didn't put a name down. What they are really claiming is that Angela is living in a home with cheating, unloving parents. That Angela should be removed from your home and that you Alex should never be allowed to see her again for her own safety. That Cordell Walker never had a claim on the minor child since he's never even acted like a father to Angela."  
" Walker would never cheat on me and I sure as hell am not cheating on him. And we do love each other and both of our children. We are providing both Keith and Angela with a loving home. Cordell Walker has always been a very loving father to Angela and no one can say otherwise." A very angry Alex answered her father who said " I know all that Alex but proving it may be a different matter altogether. But I will promise the two of you this and that is there is no way they will ever get Angela away from you. If you end up losing the custody case which I highly doubt I will keep the case tied up in the courts for years with appeals. During those appeals Angela will remain with Walker and you. By the time the appeals are ended Angela would be at the age of majority and would then have the legal right to say where she went to live. Now Alex don't get upset I was just pointing out what I would do if things don't go our way in court. That's all."  
Alex responded " I know that Dad. But know this, if worst comes to worst and it seems like we're going to lose Angela Walker and I will relocate to his reservation where the courts can't do anything about it." Gordan changed the subject to how he was going to delay the paternity test. Later on after Gordan left Walker asked Alex if she meant it when she had said that they would move to the reservation if need be and Alex told him that she would never let her family be torn apart. Walker vowed the same thing.

Chapter Four

Three months later over Gordan's many written objections Judge Bracken who was the head of the family court division decided that he was going to be the judge who decided the Angela Walker custody case. He set a court date and informed Gordan Cahill that Cordell and Alex Walker were to both be in court for every session of the custody case. That if either one of them failed to do so there would be a severe penalty to pay. Gordan informed the Walkers about that and they both rearranged their work schedules. Walker asked to go on night turn but Captain Harland ordered him to take a leave from work until after the custody case was over with. D.A. Moody reassigned Alex's cases for the duration of the custody case. Judge Bracken also had the paternity tests done a week before the custody case started.  
After court was called into session Gordan tried again to get Judge Bracken to recuse himself from the case by filing a petition with the court. As he handed over the petition to the court clerk Gordan stated " Your honor my petition is requesting your removal from this case because it is a conflict of interest for you to be presiding over this case. I have cited several things that show a conflict of interest in my brief. One of the conflicts is that you are a close friend of the plaintiff's lead attorney, Alfred Cosno. Also your honor you have made what some would consider to be dismissive remarks about the Texas Rangers and the Rangers of Company B. in particular. I have included in my brief six instances where you were quoted saying that the Texas Rangers were nothing more than in your words 'Glory Hounds' and that Company B. was the worst when it came to hogging the credit, led by Rangers Walker and Trivette. In light of these things I think that it's in the best interest of everyone concerned that you recuse yourself from this case. In a child custody case it's best to avoid even the hint that one side is receiving what could be consider favorable rulings by a judge who's linked to one side or the other. My clients just want to be sure that they're not being judged unfairly. After all they have someone trying to take one of their children away from them."  
Bracken asked the attorney for the plaintiffs " Alfred do you have any reasonable legal objections to my overseeing this custody case?" Alfred Cosno promptly replied " No I do not Judge Bracken. You are a man of honor. I know that being a man of honor you will put your personal feelings aside and do what is in the best interest of the minor child in question." Bracken then rapped his gavel and informed Gordan. " It is the ruling of this court that the plaintiff's can start presenting their case for custody today without the results of the paternity test being known to this court. According to the main plaintiff's suit for custody it doesn't make a difference who fathered the child in question. That Samantha Timson has the legal standing to sue for custody regardless of who the biological father turns out to be. Cahill if you have an objection put it in writing and file it later after court is over for the day. Mr. Cosno please call your first witness."  
The first witness turned out to be Samantha Timson and she made it seem like her son Sammie Jones was the most loving caring man on the face of the earth. In her testimony Samantha Janet Timson glossed over the fact that Alex had been kidnapped by her son along with his cousin Artie Timson and then sexually assaulted for several days. She did that by implying that Alex was a willing participant and that there was no assault. Samantha Timson then told the court that if her son turned out not to be the father and that her nephew Artie Timson was the father she would raise the child in a good christian home as Artie would have wanted her to do. That he would have said the same exact thing if he were still alive because he himself had been raised by her in a good christian home. Cosno then dismissed her from the stand but Gordan objected saying that he wanted to cross examine her. Bracken then ruled that Gordan would have to wait to cross examine all of the plaintiff's witnesses after they had all been presented to the court. When Gordan stood up to object Braken told him to put that too in writing. Sammie Jones was called next and he told the court that if he turned out to be Angela's father he would do everything that he could so that she could have a happy loving home unlike the one she was currently living in. He also said that if his deceased cousin turned out to be the father he would love the child as his own. After that Cosno called Merilee Summers to the stand and she lied through her teeth. She told the court that every time she came back to town she and Cordell Walker would resume their affair. Gordan who was getting madder by the second started to stand up to object again but Bracken stated " If you so much as think about standing up yet again to object Cahill you will be found in contempt of court. Now do yourself and your clients a favor and sit back down."  
Gordan resumed his seat at the table. Alex who was sitting besides her father placed her hand on his arm and whispered " It will be okay Dad." Walker in the meantime was sitting behind his wife and he too was getting madder by the second. After she was done testifying Merilee Summers left the witness stand and as she was leaving the courtroom stopped at the defense table to gloat " Well Cahills how does it feel to lose to me?" Neither one of them said anything. Cosno then announced that his next two witmesses were hostile witnesses and reminded the judge that he should be given more leeway in the way he was allowed to question them. Bracken agreed to that so Cosno had Dalton Reed sworn in.  
" Mr. Reed is it true that you and Mrs. Walker are currently having an affair?" Cosno asked Reed who replied " No it is not true." Cosno then attempted to bully Reed by saying " Mr. Reed did you know that lying in court is consider perjury and that a conviction for perjury can result in jail time? Now please remember that before you answer these questions. Were you and Miss Cahill ever lovers? And aren't the two of you still in fact lovers?" Reed replied " We had a very brief affair a few years back. It was before Alex married Walker. And no we are not currently lovers. Nor for that matter will we ever be lovers again. Alex loves her husband, not me. Is that clear enough for you?"  
Cosno then sneered " Do you really expect this court to believe a woman like her would stay true to a cheating husband?" Reed snapped at the attorney " Alex will never betray her husband. And have you ever looked at Mrs. Walker? Do you honestly expect this court or any other court for that matter to believe that Walker would cheat on her? Are you blind?" " Objection your honor. The witness is giving an opinion not stating a known fact." Cosno said to Judge Bracken so Dalton Reed muttered " It's a known fact that Alex would never betray her husband and that he would never betray her. It's always been him for her and she's his life." Bracken rapped his gavel then informed Reed that if he talked out of turn again he would be held in contempt of court. Cosno then spent the next two hours trying to badger Reed into saying that both of the Walkers were cheating on each other but he refused to do so. Cosno then tried to get Reed to go into detail about his relationship with Alex but all he would say was that he and Alex had only dated for a short time. Cosno then questioned him " Mr Reed haven't you tried repeatedly to get Miss Cahill back? Didn't you in fact succeed in getting her back into your bed recently?"  
Reed snapped " No I did not. How many times do I have to tell you the truth? And that is while I would give just about everything that I have to get Cahill back she is not interested, nor will she ever be interested. Cordell Walker is the love of her life, not me." Cosno then said " That's all for this witness at this time your honor."  
After Reed left the stand court was dismissed for the day with Judge Bracken reminding the Walkers that they had to be in court the next day. That if they weren't in court the court would be left with no choice but to automatically grant custody of Angela to Samantha Timson.  
After they were a good distance away from the courtroom Gordan assured the Walkers that he was already planning an appeal to get Bracken removed from the case. Walker said nothing while a very upset Alex replied that she knew he was doing his best but that this time it might not be enough. Gordan who now knew that his best might not be good enough still tried to assure his daughter that everything would work out the way it was supposed to work out. Alex then told him " That's what I'm most afraid of Dad. What if I'm supposed to lose my daughter to people like that? What then?"  
Walker sternly said to his wife " We will not lose our daughter to anyone Alexandra Cahill-Walker. You were never be a quitter before and you're not about to become one now. Got that lady?" Alex looked into her husband's eyes then vowed " You are right Cordell John Walker we are not going to lose our daughter, ever. And when the custody case is over with Angela will still be with the two of us and her brother Keith. Those two will rue the day they decided to go after our baby girl." The Walkers then went and got their children from the daycare center and while they were there Alex informed the staff on duty that until they were told otherwise only her husband or her or the both of them together would be picking the children up. The lady in charge then made a note of the change in the approved pick up list for the Walker children.  
The next morning after dropping their children off at daycare they were on their way to the courthouse when Walker spotted several cars that looked like they were up to something to him so he quickly switched lanes and the two cars also switched lanes. Alex asked him " Should I call it in and get help?" Walker answered as he again switched lanes " I'll handle them. You call the daycare center and make sure that they all know no one but the two of us are allowed to get the children until we tell them otherwise." Alex called the daycare center and asked to speak to the head of it. Alex them told her to remind the staff not to let her children leave with anyone but herself or her husband per the change in the approved pick up list. The head of the daycare center assured Alex that she wouldn't let the Walker children out of her sight until either one of the Walkers came to get them. Walker switched lanes over and over again in an attempt to lose the two cars and he eventually did. After they lost the two cars Alex asked him " Someone is really trying to keep us away from court, aren't they?" Walker replied " They won't succeed."

Chapter Five

Alex and Walker hurried into the courtroom only to hear Gordan saying to the judge " Your honor my clients aren't late. Your clerk told them in front of the entire courtroom to be here at 9 A.M. and it's now 8:50 and they're here. So the plaintiff's request that they be found in contempt of court is without merit. You can not give their child to complete strangers just because a good friend of your's want you to. It borders on judical misconduct." Bracken slammed down his gavel as he stated " I can see that they are here. Cosno call your next witness."  
Alfred Cosno stood up as he said " Your honor before I call my next witness I need to hook up the video equipment so if the court could please indulge me." Bracken granted his permission and a T.V. was brought into the courtroom then connected to a V.C.R. After that was done Cosno motioned for the bailiff to bring in the next witness. It was James Trivette who was sworn in while he was avoiding looking at the Walker. Gordan glanced at Alex who shrugged her shoulders to let her dad know that she had no idea why Trivette had been called to testify for the plaintiffs.  
Cosno began his questioning of Trivette by asking him " How long were the Walkers married before their son was born?" Trivette answered " About five months." Cosno then asked " So you're telling this court that the Walkers had to get married?" Trivette replied " I didn't say that nor do I think that."

" Come on now Ranger Trivette when a woman has a baby within seven months of getting married everyone knows that she had to get married because she was pregnant at the time she got married. Now remember you swore under oath to tell the truth. Did your partner ever tell you that he was forced to marry Cahill because she ended up pregnant to him?" Cosno said to Trivette who stated " My partner has never told me why he and Alex were wed. Nor have I ever asked him about it. What happens between the two of them isn't any of my business."  
Cosno got mad at Trivette's answer and said to Judge Bracken " Your honor this witness is not being truthful in this matter. Can you please instruct him that he must tell the truth while he's testifying or face contempt of court charges?" Bracken told Trivette " You are to tell the truth in my courtroom. Do you understand that if this court finds that you failed to answer all questions truthfully it will hold you in contempt of court?"  
Barely keeping a lid on his temper Trivette replied " I am telling the truth your honor. I have never asked either Walker or Alex why they got married nor will I ever ask them. Since I have to work with the both of them on a daily basis I think that it's best for me to stay out of the Walkers home life." Bracken then ruled " Ranger Trivette has sworn under oath that he's telling the truth and only time will tell if he is. But for now move on to another line of questioning Cosno."  
Cosno then asked " Trivette just how good of a friend are you to both of the Walkers?" Trivette answered " Good friends to the both of them." A smirking Cosno then turned on the T.V. and V.C.R. then hit the play button. The T.V. screen showed Alex and Trivette's interaction from the food court when they had been shopping at the mall the saturday Walker was served with the custody suit papers. There was no sound on the video. After it was done playing Cosno questioned Trivette " Do you care to tell the court how it is that you consider both of the Walkers to be your friends when you and Miss Cahill are clearly more than friends? Just how long have you've been seeing Walker's wife behind his back by the way?"  
Trivette fidgeted in his seat for a minute before he answered " I am not seeing Alex behind Walker's back." Cosno quickly asked him " Oh then the two of you are having an affair out in the open? Just like Walker is having one with Miss Summers?"  
" Walker is not seeing Miss Summers. Alex and I are not having an affair." Trivette snapped at Cosno who sneered back " If you're not having an affair with your partner's wife then why were you leaning in to kiss her in that video?"  
" I'll admit that I hit on Alex that day but that's all that happened. After I told Alex a funny story she had tears in her eyes so I wiped them away then like an idiot I leaned in to kiss Alex but she quickly shot me down." Trivette answered while wishing that he could crawl into a hole somewhere. Cosno said " Exactly how did she do that? Because it doesn't look like she was shooting you down in that video. As a matter of fact it shows you nodding in agreement to whatever she told you. Most likely she was telling you what motel to meet her at later."  
" Alex was not telling me what motel to meet her at. Here's what happened, after I leaned in to kiss her Alex told me not to cross the line and try to turn our relationship into something that it wasn't. Alex told me that she considered me to be like a brother to her and that Walker was the love of her life. That she would never love anyone but him. Alex then told me that if I couldn't accept those terms I would no longer be a friend of her's. When I nodded okay I was letting her know that I knew I had crossed a line that I shouldn't have and would never do anything like that again. I really do consider Alex to be like a sister to me. I feel the same way about her that I feel about my two sisters who are still living in Baltimore." Trivette explained. Cosno sensing that Trivette had managed to turn things around bluntly asked him " So are you telling me that you would hit on your two sisters in a sexual manner?"

" No I would not. I was feeling sorry for myself that day and behaving like a complete idiot. I hit on Alex because I'm in the habit of hitting on pretty women. It was wrong of me to do that to her. It will never happen again." Trivette replied. Cosno grilled him some more but Trivette didn't budge from what he had already said to the court. Cosno then informed the court that he was resting his case. Judge Bracken then told Gordan that he could now cross examine the plaintiff's witnesses in whatever order he felt like.  
Gordan had Trivette recalled to the stand and asked him " Ranger Trivette what do you consider yourself to be to both of the Walkers' children?' Trivette smiled as he answered " I'm their Uncle Jimmie. I have been since they were born and I will still be their Uncle when they are adults. I love the two of them like they are blood relatives of mine." Gordan then said " Ranger Trivette can you tell this court how Ranger Walker feels about both Angela and Keith. For instance does he treat them differently from each other?"  
" Walker treats them the same because he considers the both of them to be his children and they are. Walker tells me that Keith is as stubborn as his mother Alex is. Alex swears to me that Angela is as stubborn as her father Cordell Walker is. They are a happy loving family and anyone could tell that just by being around the Walkers." Trivette responded. Gordan then said that was all the questions that he had. Judge Bracken looked at Cosno who stated that in his opinion it would be pointless for him to ask any more questions of Ranger Trivette because he had obviously decided not to tell the truth. Judge Bracken then dismissed court for the day.  
Out in the hallway Trivette was hurrying away when Walker told him to wait up. Trivette stopped and waited for Walker to catch up to him while wondering if his partner was going to kill him. Walker questioned him " Why were you hitting on Alex? How long have you been interested in my wife?"  
" I am not interested in Alex. When I first met Alex I did think about asking her out but I didn't because it just seemed wrong for me to ask her out. As time went by I realized that I felt the same way about her as I did about my two sisters. As to why I was hitting on Alex that day all I could think when I was sitting across from her was that I wished that I had someone who would love me the way your wife loves you. Plus like I said I was feeling sorry for myself so I did what I always do at those times and that is to hit on the nearest beautiful woman. I'm sorry that I did that and it will never happen again. You have my word on that. If you want me to I'll tell Captain Harland to assign you another partner." Trivette told Walker who looked away for a minute then stated " If you ever do anything like that again to my wife you are a dead man. Understand?"  
" I understand." Trivette replied so Walker then said to him " When we were on our way to court this morning two cars tried to stop us from getting to court on time. I want you to come out to the ranch tomorrow morning and follow us to the day care center then to court to see if you can get their plates if they try that again." Trivette nodded okay and walked away knowing that Walker had let him off the hook. Alex then neared her husband with a hesitant look on her face. Walker placed his arm around her shoulder and gave it a squeeze then he said to her " How about we go get our children lady?" Alex replied " Sounds good to me husband."  
After their children were asleep for the night Alex told Walker " I'm sorry that I didn't tell you that Trivette had thought about hitting on me when we went shopping together. I should have and I didn't. Can you forgive me for not telling you?" Walker answered " It's okay lady. Trivette said that he will never do anything like that to you again. I told him that if he ever did anything like that to you again he is a dead man."

" Trivette told me that he would never do that again and I do believe him. But I want you to know Cordell that I will never be interested in anyone other than you. I love you more than I can ever tell you." Alex replied. Walker then pulled her to him as he said " You're mine lady." Alex vowed " Always and forever my love." Walker pulled Alex into a kiss which let her know that he was claiming her as his lady. After they were done Walker said to her " Are you okay? I didn't mean to be that... you know.. uhm." Alex teased her husband " I'm fine Cordell but I wouldn't mind you doing that again with me. Just a little bit slower this time though." Walker answered his wife in the only way he knew how to.

Chapter Six

The next morning as soon as the Walkers left their ranch the same two cars appeared. Walker spotted the two cars and said to Alex " I'm going to not let on that I know that they're back. Why don't you give Trivette a call and let him know about them?" Alex got out her cellular phone and called Trivette on it. " Jimmie do you see the brown sedan and the dark blue two door? They are switching places with each other and they've been following us since we left the ranch. They are the same two cars that tried to stop us from getting to the courthouse on time yesterday."  
" Does the brown sedan have a dented side door? Because I see two brown sedans." Trivette answered Alex who told him " The brown sedan with a dented passenger side door is the one that trailed us yesterday. The dark blue two door has tinted windows and a sun roof. Can you run their plates for us? Walker doesn't want them to know that he's spotted them. He wants to see if he can catch them trying something to stop us from getting to court on time."  
" I'll run their plates then I'll drop back a distance so that they don't realize that I'm trailing behind you." Trivette replied then started to drift back from the Walkers' truck. The two cars followed the Walkers all the way into town until two blocks before the child care center. As they taking the children from the truck the blue two door car came flying around a corner followed by the brown sedan. They stopped near the Walkers' truck. Three armed men got out of the cars with their weapons raised and told the Walkers " Hand over the girl and no one gets hurt." Alex who was holding Angela quickly grabbed Keith to her also as Walker stepped in front of his family. The leader of the men aimed the gun at Alex as he again demanded that they hand over Angela. Alex vowed " Over my dead body." The leader then said " If that's the way you want it lady." Walker launched himself at the men and succeeded in knocking them down. Alex quickly moved to the other side of Walker's truck as Trivette arrived on the scene. Seeing the men getting ready to shoot his partner Trivette floored his car and aimed it at the gunmen. Seeing Trivette coming at them in a car the men jumped aside. Walker quickly went after the two who were nearest to him and took both of them down. Trivette got out of his car and got the man near him. After they had the three men handcuffed Alex came back from where she had been hiding at and said to her husband " Walker we are not dropping my babies off at daycare today. I'm not letting them out of my sight right now."  
" We'll take them with us." Walker answered his wife then helped her put the children back into his truck. Trivette assured Walker " I'll wait here for the police to come here to take them to jail. You and Alex go ahead and go now." The Walkers drove off. Trivette said to the three men " I can arrange for the judge to go easy on whoever tells me who was behind the attempted kidnapping of Walker's baby girl. If none of you talk I'm sure Walker can arrange to be alone with the three of you by yourselves. I suggest that you start talking."  
When they arrived in the courtroom Gordan asked them " Why do you have the children with you?" A still shaken Alex replied " I'm not letting them out of my sight until we find out who tried to have Angela kidnapped from us this morning on our way here." Gordan looked at Walker who told him " Trivette is seeing that they're taken to jail then he'll let me know who they are and who's paying them to try and kidnap my daughter. Once I find out who it is I will take care of them."  
Shortly after that Cosno entered the courtroom along with Samantha Timson and her son Sammie Jones. Seeing that the Walkers were there with their children Cosno told the bailiff that he wanted Judge Bracken to come into the courtroom right now. The bailiff said that he would let the judge know that Cosno wanted to see him. When Judge Bracken entered the courtroom Cosno jumped up from his seat and demanded of the judge " Bracken you have to find the Walkers in contempt of court right this minute and hand over baby Angela to my clients."

" On what grounds do you suggest that I find them in contempt of court?" Bracken asked Cosno who replied " On the grounds that they've brought their children to court this morning. Really what decent parents would bring their kids to court when they should be in daycare?" Bracken ruled " Can either of you Walkers please tell this court why you felt compelled to bring your children to court this morning? Instead of dropping them off at daycare."  
Walker did the answering " We bought our children to court this morning because we weren't about to let them out of our sight today after three armed men attempted to kidnap our baby daughter in front of the daycare center." Cosno scoffed " Do you really expect the court to believe that idiotic story?" Walker snapped " Go look at the tapes from the cameras that are outside of the daycare center if you don't believe me."  
Judge Bracken banged his gavel then announced " We will do exactly that if need be later on but for now you two have someone come here and watch the children in my chambers while court is in session. I will have an armed bailiff guard the door so that no one can enter my chambers while court is in session. Your children will be perfectly safe in there." Alex called C.D. and explained the situation to him and he told her that he would be right over with his friend Maisie and that they would watch the children in the judge's chambers. While she was doing that Judge Bracken pulled a bailiff aside and told him something. The bailiff nodded okay and left the courtroom. After the children were removed from the courtroom court was called into session.  
Bracken announced " Cahill you can continue your cross examination of the plaintiff's witnesses." Gordan said as he approached the bench " I would like to introduce these records as evidence in this case your honor." Bracken took the documents looked them over then said " Clerk mark these as evidence for the defense. Please proceed Mr. Cahill."  
Gordan had Samantha Timson sworn in. He then asked her " What kind of home life did you give your nephew after he came to live with you?" Samantha Timson answered " Why the same exact one I was giving to my son Sammie. One of a very loving good christain home."  
Gordan questioned her " Do you consider a good christian home to be one in which the two male children living there have to go to the hospital for what the doctors called severe welts on their backsides? That in his opinion was from a whipping with a belt?" And does a good christian run home have more than one instances in which the two teen aged boys are arrested for sexuallty assaulting a ten year old little girl?" Samantha Timson answered " When she first cried rape on my boys I lost my temper and beat them a little more than I should have and I told them both how sorry I was about that. I told them that I knew that little tramp was just trying to cause them trouble and I was so right about her. Just like I was right about that no good whore Cahill crying rape on my two boys after she agreed that they could have a little fun with her."  
" So did you beat the boys the next three times they ended up in the E.R. from severe bruises on their backsides because yet another child was in your words crying rape on them? Or did you give them beatings just because you felt like whipping them?" Gordan asked Samantha Timson who yelled at him " I was trying to teach my boys that they had to make sure those tramps wouldn't cry rape after they had fun with them. That they needed to stay away from tramps and only go with girls who wouldn't lie about them later on. I wasn't about to spare the rod on them and take the chance that they would end up becoming ungrateful non god fearing heathens." Gordan then changed the subject by asking her " And what about your daughter Shirley Jones?"  
A defensive Samantha Timson snapped " You leave her out of this. I gave her to the state because she was a little devil who wouldn't stop tempting my husband and his friends." Gordan quietly responded " Isn't it a fact that the state removed her from your custody because she had been subjected to repeated sexual abuse at the hands of your husband and his friends? Before you answer I must tell you that I have the court records relating to the abuse of that poor child and I will intoduce them too if I have to."

" Introduce whatever records you want to. The bottom line is that she was a little tramp just like all the others. These little tramps always go after males and entice them into their arms. Then they start crying that the males hurt them when they didn't." Timson replied causing Gordan to hand the records to the judge who then held up his hand so Gordan paused his cross examination. After looking at the records Judge Bracken gave them to his clerk who marked them as evidence. Bracken then motioned for Gordan to continue which he did by saying " How can you even think about calling a nine year old child those sort of names? If you can call your own daughter something like that I hate to think what kind of names you would call that baby girl who's in the Judge's chambers as we speak when she got older. Giiven what your son and his cousin did to her mother whom you now are calling a whore when she was the victim of a sexual assault. And while you were calling your child those names you were standing by and doing nothing to help her as she is hurt by grown men. What kind of mother are you?"  
" A damn good one. Both of my boys were raised to be god fearing good christian men. And they both were and my son Sammie still is. As was my Artie until those people killed him just to do it." Timson answered Gordan who told her " Most people would not consider your home to be a good christain home."  
" And you're going to say that the Walkers are good christian people. Where do you get off saying that about them? She willingly had sex with my two boys and he's having sex with that singer. Then she took up with that black guy, once a whore always a whore in my book. The both of them are nothing more than tramps and I'll be damned if my grand daughter will be raised by the likes of them. No she is going to be raised by me in a good christian home and I'll make damn sure that she doesn't behave the way that Shirley did. Even if I have to beat the devil out of her every day. I will do it. Make no mistake about that." Samantha Janet Timson ended with a chilling vow. Gordan then told the court that he had no more questions at this time. As his mother was leaving the stand Sammie Jones stood up and said " That's the way to let them who's in charge here ma. When we get her home we are going to make sure that she stays on the straight and narrow. There's no way that any child of mine will lead a man on then cry rape on him. No way in hell."  
Bracken rapped his gavel as he ordered " Sit down and shut up until the court tells you that you can speak." Jones sat back down. A bailiff came in and whispered into Judge Bracken's ear. He nodded okay then excused himself from the courtroom. When Bracken returned to the courtroom an hour later he had some documents with him and he announced " There are two matters that have come up that this court will now address. One I have seen the tapes from the cameras posted outside the child care center and the Walkers were telling this court the truth about that matter. Two and more importantly I have here the results of the patenity tests for Angela Walker. The test results show that Artie Timson is the biological father of the minor child in question." Sammie Jones stood up and said " It makes no difference which one of us fathered her to me or my mother. So when are you going to order the Walkers to hand her over to us?"  
Bracken slammed his gavel down then stated " One more outburst from you Mr. Jones and you will spend the next week in jail for contempt of court. Now Mr. Walker can you honestly swear to this court that you love the child? Most men couldn't given how she was conceived." Walker answered " I love my daugter Angela Elizabeth Walker. She is my daughter just like Keith Alexander Walker is my son. My wife and I are both providing our children a home in which they will know what it is to be loved."  
" Tell me Mr. Walker who named the child? Was it Mrs. Walker or you?" Bracken questioned Walker and he replied " It was the both of us your honor. Angela was delivered at home by me because Alex's water broke before I could get her to the hospital. After she was born I told Alex that the baby looked just like her mother, an angel. Alex then said Angela it is then said that she needed a middle name so I told my wife that our daughter's middle name would be Elizabeth because I wanted my first born daughter named after my mother. Her first name was Elizabeth."  
Bracken then ruled " Since the biological father is dead and Ranger Walker is the legal father according to the State of Texas the only way I can remove a child from a home under those circumstances is if she were to be found living in a unfit home. I came into this trial prepared to give the child to Samantha Timson and her son Sammie Jones if she was proven to be in a unfit home. The plaintiffs have failed to prove that to this court. Instead it has been proven to this court that the plaintiffs should never be around children ever again. I feel that both of them present a clear danger to children. Therefor it is my ruling that baby Angela remains with her parents, Alexandra Cahill-Walker and Cordell Walker. And don't even bother to file an appeal Mr. Cosno because no judge in his right mind would ever consider taking that baby girl away from from her mother and father who both love her as any parent would. No judge would ever place a baby or any other child in the home of Samantha Timson and her son Sammie Jones where there is a history of child abuse and the adult male there has a history of sexual assault. Mr. and Mrs. Walker you will recieve your copy of my ruling in the next several weeks. Please go to my chambers and take your children and go home. This court has no further business with you. Court dismissed."  
As the Walkers were leaving the courtroom Sammie said to his mother " We'll fight this ma. Okay?" Samantha Timson snarled " No way in hell are we going to fight this Sammie. I'm getting too old to have to raise another girl and have her turn out to be a tramp just like your sister was. I'm not wasting my time like that and neither are you. If you want a brat go find a girlfriend and have a baby with her. Now let's go we're done with this."  
Alex hurried into the Judge's chambers and told C.D. " The case has been dismissed. We're going to take our babies home now." C.D. said to her " That's good news honey. You go ahead and take those babies home now." He then said to Walker " I heard from Jimmie what happened on your way here. Is there anything you need me to do for you tonight?" Walker replied " We'll stop by your place tomorrow." Walker then picked up Angela while Alex picked up Keith and they left the judge's chambers. As they were watching the Walkers walk away Gordan asked C.D. " Can you let me know what happened earlier today?" " How about you meet me at my place? Jimmie said that he would stop by and tell me what he knows about it." C.D. suggested to Gordan who agreed to meet him at the bar later. Trivette came into C.D.'s asking where was Walker at. C.D. told him that Judge Bracken had dismissed the plaintiff's petition for custody. Gordan then said to him " Ranger Trivette I'll tell all about it after you tell me what you know about the people who tried to kidnap my grandbaby."  
" I have to tell Walker and Alex first. C.D. hand me a phone so that I can call and tell them okay?" Trivette replied so C.D. handed him a phone. Trivette called the ranch and asked to speak to Walker. Once he was on the phone Trivette explained to him " Walker I hate to tell you this but the men who tried to kidnap Angela were paid to do it for a unknown client. Apparently those men go around kidnapping preselected babies for the right price. From what one of them said in a holding cell he thinks that the babies are then sold to rich people who then pass them off as their adopted children. We'll find out more about them tomorrow but for tonight why don't you just stay home with your family?"

" I'll see you tomorrow Trivette." Walker answered then hung up the phone and told his wife what Trivette had told him. Alex moved into her husband's arms as she said " I thought that once that trial was over it would be the end of me worrying about someone trying to take my baby from me." Walker pulled her even closer as he vowed " We have our children here with us and as far as I'm concerned that is the perfect ending. Anything else we'll deal with tomorrow. Got that Alex?"  
" Yes I've got that Cordell. And speaking of endings how about once our children are asleep we have our own perfect ending in our bedroom?" Alex replied and Walker thought that was a very good idea. 


End file.
